700.251—Fees.
(a) Services for which fees may be charged.
(1)
Unless waived pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, user fees shall be charged for document search and duplication costs incurred in responding to requests for records. User fees also shall be charged for the formal certification of verification attached to authenticated copies of records under the seal of the Commission.
(2)
Unless waived or reduced pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section, user fees shall be charged in accordance with the schedule of charges contained in the Commission's Management Manual.
(b) Services for which fees may not be charged.
No fee may be charged for any services required by the Freedom of Information Act to be performed in responding to a request for records other than those services for which fees may be charged under paragraph (a) of this section. Services for which no fees may be charged include, but are not limited to,
(1)
Examining requested records to determine whether they are exempt from mandatory disclosure or whether, even if exempt, they should nevertheless be made available in whole or part,
(2)
Deleting exempt matter from records so that the remaining portions of the records may be made available,
(c) Waiver or reduction of fees.
(1)
Fees otherwise chargeable for document search and duplication costs incurred in responding to requests for records may be waived or reduced, as appropriate, if the official making the records available determines that furnishing the records can be considered as primarily benefiting the public as opposed to the requester.
(2)
Fees otherwise applicable for document research and duplication costs incurred in responding to requests may be waived and not charged if the request involves:
(ii)
Furnishing one copy of a personal document (e.g., a birth certificate) to a person who has been required to furnish it for retention by the Commission;
(iii)
Furnishing one copy of the transcript of a hearing before a hearing officer in a grievance or similar proceeding to the employee for whom the hearing was held.
(3)
Fees otherwise chargeable for document search and duplication costs incurred in responding to requests may be waived or reduced if the cost of collecting the fee would exceed the amount of the fee or if the request involves:
(i)
Furnishing records to press, radio and television representatives for dissemination through the media to the general public;
(iii)
Furnishing records to individuals or private non-profit organizations having an official voluntary or cooperative relationship with the Commission to assist the individual or organization in its work with the Commission;
(iv)
Furnishing records to state, local and tribal governments and public international organizations when to do so without charge is an appropriate courtesy, or when the recipient is carrying on a function related to that of the Commission and to do so will help to accomplish the work of the Commission;
(v)
Furnishing records when to do so saves costs and yields income equal to the direct cost of providing the records (e.g., where the Commission's fee for the service would be included in a billing against the Commission);
(vi)
Furnishing records when to do so is in conformance with generally established business custom (e.g., furnishing personal reference data to prospective employers of former Commission employees);
(vii)
Furnishing one copy of a record in order to assist the requester to obtain financial benefits to which he is entitled (e.g., veterans or their dependents, employees with Government employee compensation claims or persons insured by the Government).
(d) Notice of anticipated fees and prepayment.
(1)
Where it is anticipated that fees chargeable under this section may amount to more than $25.00 and the requester has not indicated in advance his willingness to pay fees as high as are anticipated, the request shall be deemed not to have been received for purposes of the time limits established by § 700.245 until the requester is advised of the fees which are anticipated and has agreed to pay these fees. Advice to requesters with respect to anticipated fees shall be provided promptly.
(2)
The appropriate cases, advance payment of fees may be required before requested records are made available to the requester.
(3)
A notice of anticipated fees or notice of request for advance payment shall extend an offer to the requester to confer with appropriate personnel in an attempt to reformulate the request in a manner which will reduce the anticipated fees and meet the needs of the requester.
(e) Form of payment.
Payment of fees shall be made by check or money order payable to the Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation Commission. The term United States or the initials “U.S.” shall not be included on the check or money order. Where appropriate, the official responsible for handling a request may require that payment by check be made in the form of a certified check.